Governor Edwards and state lawmakers return to Baton Rouge Monday for a special session to find a solution to the looming fiscal cliff that threatens to gut popular programs like TOPS. The governor is seeking tax reform, and Republicans want spending reductions. More

A proposal to change the name of the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts has won final legislative passage. The measure changes the name to the Jimmy D. Long Sr. Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts in honor of the late state lawmaker who established the school. The bill was amended to allow the original name on diplomas and transcripts, which Franklin Representative Sam Jones says is a good compromise.More

The centerpiece to Governor John Bel Edwards’ tax plan fails to receive support from the House Ways and Means Committee and the legislative sponsor decides not to move forward with the legislation. Franklin Representative Sam Jones says the Commercial Activity Tax proposal would provide a stable revenue stream for the state, but the legislature doesn’t support it.More

The centerpiece of Governor John Bel Edwards plan to overhaul Louisiana's tax structure did not receive a warm reception from Republicans in the House Ways and Means committee. Franklin Representative Sam Jones says the Commercial Activity Tax would raise over 400-million dollars in taxes on businesses, but the governor's plan also calls for a reduction in individual income taxes.

There’s been talk of raising the gasoline tax by as much as 17 cents a gallon in the upcoming legislative session. Franklin Representative Sam Jones believes that’s too much of a hike, but he says the state needs to invest more in transportation infrastructure.More

With the legislative session approaching, lawmakers are working on a bill that would raise the state’s gasoline tax for the first time in 30 years. Democratic Representative Sam Jones of Franklin says lawmakers need to put something on the ballot to improve deteriorating roads and bridges. But he says it’s still unclear how many cents the tax would go up.More

Several lawmakers are in a foul mood after failing to approve a construction budget. Ways and Means Chairman Neil Abramson says Senate changes to the spending plan made the bill unworkable and he didn’t bring it up for a vote in the regular session. Franklin Representative Sam Jones asked Abramson why not send the bill to a conference committee to resolve the issues.More